Thank You for Making Him Real!
[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men … (Ecclesiastes 3:11a–NIV). Born in Minnesota on August 26, 1921, Doris Koskela Heikkinen was a lover of people. She was a lover of people, however, because she was first…
Bloom Where You’re Planted!
(This post has been modified slightly, having first been published in our local newspaper, The Mountaineer, on August 12, 2020.) As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and…
The Bridges We’ve Crossed by Taking the Plunge
Happy 31st anniversary, dear husband! We’ve come so far, have we not? From the kids playing marbles and riding bikes to the adults we are today, we’re here to help our adult children (older now than we were when we took that plunge in 1989)…
An Open Apology to ‘Karen’
But now, this is what the LORD says–He who created you … He who formed you … : ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine’ (Isaiah 43:1–NIV). Confession: The name Karen hasn’t been a favorite. That’s not to…
The Little Boy and the Kaleidoscope
“… We can be sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” (Romans 8:28–The Message). The little Boy held the wooden object in his hand, clutching it tightly. “What is it?” he asked his Momma, eyes wide…
O Happy Day!–A Room of Your Own!
This is the day that the LORD has made! We rejoice and are glad in it (Psalm 118:24–Adapted)! Dearest Daughter, We’ve been preparing a room for you, the room that you chose now that your brothers are no longer at home. “I want a room…
Wisteria, Enamelware, and Wee Grandma Alice
She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future (Proverbs 31:25). “How tall am I now, Grandma?” Though my paternal grandparents didn’t live far from us, weeks might pass without us seeing them, and a lot of growing can be…
Love Spread Thick–A Recipe for Healing Hate
Hatred stirs up dissension, but LOVE covers over all wrongs (Proverbs 10:12–NIV). Basil (Ocimum basilicum)–HATE (From The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffebaugh). ******* Taking spoon, we spread the basil-based pesto thick on crackers and bread, taste the slightly bitter flavor and … Mmm–savor! Fresh cut from…
Another Blessing from My Other Grandpa
A new command I give you: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34, 35–NIV). Does Grandpa know Jesus? It was an earnest…
Grandpa’s Blessing
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be…